The Glider Guide

When selecting a glider there’s a lot to consider – size, style, color/pattern and long-term use. Yes, that’s right – long-term use. Gliders and rockers have outgrown the nursery. With so many styles, from double gliders to recliners, you can repurpose the comfy seat from nursery to guest room, living room, media room; it can play a supporting role to your other furnishings in any room.

If you’re having twins you may want to consider a chair and a half or two gliders. Call a smartly styled NYC loft home? Select a smaller glider that saves space and still provides plenty of comfort.

Some guidelines from the ultimate trusted source, Consumer Reports:

A comfy seat. When you’re testing models for your wish list, sit in the chair and glide away. That’s the best way to tell if a chair’s seat fits you comfortably. Have your spouse try it out too if both of you will be using it. Get a glider with a generously wide seat and arms that won’t hem you in. Both these features are especially important if you plan to use a nursing pillow. And with a baby on board, you’ll need the room.

Springs under the seat. You may find four small springs that secure a bottom piece of fabric to the chair frame. That’s good. The underbelly of the seat shouldn’t be just fabric glued to a frame. You won’t have much support or shock absorption.

A warranty. If you choose a glider, you’ll want to know if the bearings, which run the gliding mechanism, have a warranty. They get a lot of wear over time. With gliders, ten years is a good warranty length, although a lifetime warranty is better.

Size. The size of the glider should be determined by who will be sitting in it. Which parent will be doing the feeding at 2am? Keep space in mind too, is there enough room to recline? There might only be enough room to rock!

Comfort.Keep comfort in mind by checking out the seat depth as well as the seat and back height. Ask yourself if you want it to recline, as many hours will be spent in this chair.

Design. When selecting the style, color and fabric design, coordinate it with your nursery color scheme but do not go crazy with color or pattern because you want the flexibility to be able to coordinate it with the next stage of furnishings for your child. Also, selecting neutral colors and simple patterns will allow you the flexibility to move the glider to other rooms in your home.

Long-term Use. Try to select a chair frame and fabric that coordinates with design style of the rest of the rooms in your home so you have the option to reuse it. If your furnishings are mostly traditional, stick with a traditional frame style with a simple tone on tone pattern. If your style is more eclectic or more contemporary, stick with simple clean look in neutral tones and solids, this will also work if your home is designed with bright bold colors and patterns.

Now that you know how to select the perfect glider, hurry and get yours before the sale ends! Happy Shopping! Check out the gliders here.